monitor running costs

This white paper has entirely focused on the cost of running PCs and notebooks, cutting monitor sentirely out of the equation. This is partially because all modern monitors conform to stringent standards, and will usually switch off after a few minutes of non-use via Windows' display blanking settings.

As such, the only way for a business to save money and cut carbon dioxide emissions is to cut the power supply to the monitors.

It is, of course, impractical for a company to expect its IT department or users to pull the plug out ofthe wall socket each night, but there are options available.

One product recommended by both PC Pro and the Energy Saving Trust is the OneClick IntelliPlug, a power adaptor that automatically detects if the desktop PC pluggedinto its main socket is switched off; if it is, it cuts power to the other two sockets.

Modern CRT monitor typically draw 80W in use and 4W in standby mode. Modern TFT monitor stypically draw 35W in use and around 1W in standby mode.

If, as in the white paper above, we assume an eight-hour working day, five-day working week, then a combination of stricter power management and the use of an IntelliPlug will cut the amount of standby hours by 128 per week. Or 6,656 hours per year.

For a CRT monitor, that reduces the cost by £2.40 per year; for a TFT, £0.60 per year. As the cost of the IntelliPlug is £17, the financial argument is far more convincing for a CRT than a TFT, but the carbon dioxide cuts are also worth noting: 11.5kg for a CRT, 2.9kg for a TFT.

The drawback is that the user experience is affected: an LCD screen can take several seconds to returnto full brightness from being switched off, compared to less than a second from standby.

Excerpt：Microsoft Power management White Paper Mar2007

Save time, money and the planet

That's right, high-tech users can do their bit for the environment, all for about £15. Simon Hurst reports.

Amid the widespread concern over the future of the planet and energy consumption, attention has been focused on the amount of power wasted by leaving appliances on standby. Computer equipment is especially guilty, as some devices don't even have power switches.

There is a very simple solution - a multi-socket plug that automatically switches off other socets when the device attached to the "master" socket is turned off.

Althought the Intelliplug only has a total of three sockets, you can connect a 4- or even a 6-way adaptor to one of the sockets to turn off other devices.

So connect your computer (not if it's a laptop, though) to the master socket, and all your peripherals to the other sockets. When you turn the computer off, monitors, printers, scanners, speakers, powered USB hubs etc, etc are all turned off automatically.

When you turn the computer back on, all the devices also come back on. We tried one and it worked very well - so well, that we've ordered some more.

AccountingWEB 26-Apr-2007

Top tips for the lazy environmentalist

1. Switch to a green energy supplier on the web
Go to Green Electricity Marketplace or U-switch.

2. Change your lightbulbs
You can do your bit by changing all the bulbs in your home to energy efficient compact fluorescents, which last ten times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs. Try Pro Eco low energy bulbs.

3. Use less hot water
Heating up water you don't really need is a waste of energy and money. Easy steps include installing a low flow showerhead, boiling just the amount of water you need for your cup of tea and no more, and only washing full loads in the washing machine and dishwasher. Try the Eco-kettle and this water saving showerhead

4. Turn down the heat & cut out the draughts
Turning down your thermostat by just 1°C could cut your fuel bills by 10%, saving you around £30 a year and the planet around 300kg of CO2. Hot water doesn't need to be scalding either - for most people setting the cylinder thermostat at around 60°C should be fine for washing and bathing. Check out this flowery draught excluder from Cath Kidston or this more masculine selection from Focus DIY.

5. Don't leave your appliances on standby
When it comes to our myriad electrical appliances, off doesn't really mean off. Those little red lights or clock displays are still sucking out energy. Buy a power strip to plug everything into so that you can turn everything off at the mains with just the one switch. And if you're really in to high tech solutions, you can try the Intelliplug which automatically powers off your computer peripherals (monitor, speakers etc) when you switch off your PC.

6. Use less paper
Keep old envelopes as scrap paper for shopping lists, print on the back of letters and switch your printer to print double sided. Use online banking and sign up for paperless billing from phone and utility companies. And of course, read your favourite magazines and newspapers online!

7. Recycle
We all know we should recycle more but we can't always be bothered - and where do you put the stuff that's not going in the bin? Kill two birds with one stone with this clever little bin that allows you to use old shopping bags to sort out your paper, cans and bottles while still looking stylish. See also Recyclenow.

8. Eat less meat and more local, organic food
It takes far more energy, land and water to produce the equivalent amount of calories from meat than from grain or soya. Eating more locally grown, seasonal food, reduces the CO2 needed to ship food around the world. And by eating more organic food, you increase the amount of carbon which is stored in the soil. See Yottam Ottolenghi and read Guardian Unlimited's new seasonal eating column for great recipes.

9. Use a smart meter
Smart meters, which measure your energy consumption, are a great way of keeping track of how much energy you're using. The Electrisave and the stylish DIY Kyoto are portable monitors you can take from room to room to see at a glance which appliances are devouring the most electricity.

10. Get involved, stay informed
There are lots of groups campaigning for tough climate legislation and you can sign up to receive email alerts and e-actions to help them. See Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace or Stop Climate Chaos

Vicki Lesley *
Friday April 6, 2007
Guardian Unlimited

* Vicki Lesley is really quite an active environmentalist. She is making a film about the science and politics of nuclear power. http://www.tennerfilms.com.